Auguste Rodin

Born in Paris on November 12, 1840, Auguste Rodin trained outside the most prestigious academic path and spent years doing decorative work before his art began to attract serious attention. That slow start shaped him: rather than chase smooth perfection, he developed a way of modeling that emphasized movement, texture, tension, and the inner life of the figure.

Over time, he became one of the most influential sculptors of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Works such as The Thinker, The Kiss, The Burghers of Calais, and The Gates of Hell made his name, and his art was often debated because it felt startlingly modern, physical, and emotionally direct.

Rodin died in Meudon, France, on November 17, 1917, but his influence never really faded. He is widely seen as a founder of modern sculpture, and the Musée Rodin in Paris remains one of the central places preserving and sharing his work.